From September 28 to October 8, Azerbaijan will become the sports hub of the CIS region. The 3rd CIS Games – a large-scale multi-sport event – will be held across seven cities in the country. Azerbaijan’s U-17 boys’ national volleyball team is preparing for the Games in Sumgayit.
The team’s head coach, Jahangir Seyid Abbasi, spoke about the preparation process and the team’s goals for the tournament:
“We started this journey about a year ago. First, we traveled to various regions and selected players with strong physical capabilities. Then, we began regular training sessions. Last season, these boys played in the Super League under the ‘Ganjlar’(Youth) team.
About a month and a half ago, we brought together players born in 2008–2009 to begin preparing specifically for the 3rd CIS Games. Currently, the whole team is based in Sumgayit, training every day — sometimes twice or even three times a day. The effort and dedication from the boys have been incredible. We’re training with total dedication.
In early September, we’re planning to hold a training camp abroad, where we will also have the opportunity to play several test matches. Around 10 days before the tournament, the team will travel to Ganja — the city hosting the volleyball competition — to complete the final stage of preparations there.
Our main goal is to advance from the group stage and reach the semifinals. We want to be among the top four strongest teams. It’s an ambitious goal, but a realistic one — if every player gives their all. We believe we can pleasantly surprise everyone and perform at a high level.
Our opponents are strong: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Russia and Belarus, in particular, should be highlighted – they are traditional leaders in youth volleyball globally. Volleyball is also rapidly developing in Uzbekistan. The competition will be intense.
In recent years, attention toward men’s volleyball in Azerbaijan has increased. We thank the leadership and sports institutions for their support. We truly feel this trust and encouragement. We hope that this time, the Azerbaijani team will present itself on a completely different level in front of our opponents,” he said.
